Floor cleaning appliance



April 1932. A. E. MOORHEAD 1,854,214

FLOOR CLEANING APPLIANCE Original Filed Aug. 7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet lALBERT E MOORHAV/l) W/TNE g2; 5y dun A l //v VEN TOR v April 19, 1932-E. MOORHEAD 1,854,214

FLOOR CLEANING APPLIANCE Original Filed Aug. 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ALBERT E. MOOBEEAD, F

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 MOOBHEAD DEVELOPMENT (30., INC.

FLOOR CLEANING APPLIANCE Application filed August 7, 1923, Serial No.656,153. Renewed August 30, 1930.

The invention relates to a device for cleaning floor coverings andfloors, for removing the dust and dirt from floor coverings and forpolishing hardwood floors.

An object of the invention is to provide an appiiance which may be usedboth for cleanr rugs and carpets and other floor coverings ano forpolishing hardwood Another object of the invention is to prc-- vide afloor cleaning appliance having dei iable attachments so that the sameappliance may be used for cleaning rugs and carpets for polishingfloors.

Another oh'ect of vide a device for polishing hardwood ion which thepolishing tool may be dri rcn ferent speeds, depending upon the serviquired of it.

It is now common to provide a mote: vacuum cleaner: and is alsoUilllfiuu bk vicle a brush that is also motor driven, to ass theinvention is to proist in the action of the vacuum cleaner. Suchcleaners are provided with long handles and are arranged to be passedover the floor for treating the floor. This tong handle arrangement ispeculiarly well adapted to the treating of floors in general, inaddition to vacuum cleaning, such for example, as polishing orscrubbing; and it is another object of my invention to make it possibleto utilize the one and the same power unit, including the hen dle andmotor. not only for driving, but also for supporting anyone of a numberof sepmate and distinct floor treating devices, and particularly is itan objectof my invention to make it a very easy matter for anyone,without tools,-to change the appliance from a vacuum sweeper to anotherfloor treating device.

For this purpose, I providea power unit thatcooperates interchangeablywith any one of several driven devices. It is accordingly still anotherobject of my invention to provide a power unit that carries one portionof a readily detachable connection. and a series of devices each havinga cooperating portion whereby any one of them can be coupled to thepower unit as desired, and whereby it can be supported on the powerunit.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which withthe foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full, that form of my invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings accompany ng and forming partof the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form ofapparatus embodying my invention, but it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to such form, since the invention, as forth in theclaims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, artly in section, of the motor unit whichorms part of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion, of the vacuum cleaningunit which is attachable to the motor unit to provide a vacuum cleanerfor carpets and rugs.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a floor polishing unit which isadapted to be attached to the motor unit for cleaning and polishinghardwood floors.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a combined motorunit and vacuum cleaning unit.

At the present time most homes are provided with hardwood floors andwhile vacuum cleaning appliances are sold very largely, for the purposeof cleaning the carpets and rugs which cover the floors, no means 1 havebeen provided for converting these vacuum cleaning appliances intodevices which may be used for polishing the hardwood floors. Inaccordance with my invention I make the appliance in two units, a motorunit and a floor cleaning unit and provide a plurality of differenttypes of floor cleaning units so that a floor polishing unit may besubstituted for a vacuum cleaning unit. The principal cost of the vacuumcleaner is in the driving motor and by making this detachable from thefloor cleaning unit I provide a general utility outfit at a cost verylittle in excess of the cost of a vacuum cleaner. The housewife istherefore enabled to readily polish her hardwood floors, a task which atthe present time is extremely arduous and therefore seldom performed,with the result Ill) that the harwood floors are not kept inparticularly desirable condition.

The motor unit of my invention comprises a housing 2 which is preferablymounted on wheels I So that the appliance may be readily moved over thedoor. the whe l and/or the handle constituting a support for the motorand motor housing. A handle 1., pivotally connected to the housing,serves as a n'ieans of moving the appliance over the. floor. Disposedwithin the housing a motor 5 the drive shaft (3 of which is pro\ ided.preferably with a rectangular end which extends from the housing. Thehousing is provided with a cylindrical flange 'i which is adapted fortelescopic engagement with a flange on the operating tool. to bedetachably connected thereto. The flange T is provided with a pluralityof bolts 8 which are adapted to engage in slots in the flange of theoperating unit. when the two flanges are telescoped, and wing nuts 9 onthe bolts serveto clamp the two flanges together.

The vacuum cleaning instrument shown in Figure 2, is provided with aflange 12 which fits over the flange 7 and the flange is provid cd withbayonet slots 13 which engage the bolts 8 on the flange 7. The flange 12of the vacuum cleaning unit is secured to the hon ing 14 of such unit,which is provided with a. nozzle 15, which is moved over the surface tobe cleaned. .lournalled in the housing 14- is a stub shaft 16 which isprovided with a rectangular socket 17 adapted to receive the projectingshaft 6. Mounted on the stub shaft 16 and disposed within the housing isthe impeller 18 which creates the vacuum in the nozzle 15. It is to benoted that the same movement causing engagement of the flanges 7 and 12also causes operative engagement of shaft 6 and socket 17, and that aspace is formed between the motor flange 7 and the appliance flange 12,for the accommodation of the clutching elements.

When it is desired to clean the hardwood floors, the vacuum cleaningtool is removed from the motor unit and a hardwood floor polishing toolsubstituted in its place. The hardwood floor polishing tool, shown inFigure 3, is provided with a housing 21. secured to which or formedintegral with. is a flange 22 adapted to fit over the flange 7 of themotor unit. The flange 22 is provided with bayonet slots 23 forengagement with the bolt 3. Journalled in the housing 21 is a driveshaft 24 having a. socket 25 adapted to receive the projecting end 6 ofthe motor shaft. Suitably journalled in the housing 21 is a hollow shaft26 to which is secured the floor polisb ing brush 27. the bristles ofthe brush extending down below the lower edge of the housing. Liquidpolishing material for the hard wood floor is deposited on the floorthrough the hollow shaft 26. which receives the material from the supplycup 28 which is provided nus-1,214

with a valve which is operated by the lever 29. The lever is moved toopen the valve when the brush is in operation. thus pern'iittingpolishing material to drop onto the floor, where it. is picked up andspread by the brush. The. brush is rotated at a sulliciently high speed,so that suliicient heat is: produced by friction,"to insure etl'cctivepolislr ing of the floor.

Means are provided for driving the brush at two different speeds,depending upon the service required. Secured to the shaft 26 is a doublegear 31 having toothed surfaces 32 and of different diameter. Looselyn'iounted on the drive shaft 24 are two bevelled gears 34 and 35 whichmesh respectively with the gears 32 and 33. Means are provir ed forlocking either of the gears 34 or 35 to the drive shaft to rotate thegear 31. The gears 34 and 35 are spaced apart and are providid on theiradjacent ends with clutch faces 37. Splined to the shaft 24. between thegears 34 and 35 is a clutch member 38 having opposed clutch facesadapted to engage the clutch face of either the gear 34 or The clutchmember 38 is moved into engagement with either of the gears by the stem39 engaging the groove 41 on the clutch member. The stem 35) is held inadjusted position by the nut 42 so that the clutch 33 may be held inneutral position between the two gears 34 and 35 or may be moved intoengagement with either gear 34 or 35. The gear 31 is preferablysupported at its periphery. directly below the gear 35 by a roller orother similar device 45 so that the driving strain will not displace thegear 31.

By the possession of this appliance the housewife is able, at an expenseonly slightly in excess of the cost of a vacuum cleaner, to have aninstrument hieh will effectively clean carpets and ting hnd effectivelypolish hardwood floors. The polishing ot' the hardwood 11001 isaccomplished witlnmt any great physical exertion, thereby producing anincentive to maintain the floor in perfect condition.

In the appended claims, I have used the term power unit"i. This refersparticularly to the motor 5 and its auxiliary parts, and it is intendedto apply solely to such a power unit, exclusive of any operatorwhatsoever that may be driven thereby. In other words. '1

the term means exactly and only what is ordinarily implied.-a convenientsource of power separate from the load imposed thereon.

The terms floor cleaning or polishing appliance or floor treating deviceappearing in the claims are directed to devices of the type disclosed inthe present application such as suction devices, or brushing devices, orthe like.

I claim:

1. Floor treating mechanism comprising a power unit, a detachable floortreating deand polishing vice, a floor support for said power unitindependent of said device, said device having an operator that must bemechanically driven to enable it to perform its function, said powerunit including one portion of a detachable connection, and the operatorhaving a cooperating portion, for causing a driving connection to bemade between the power unit and said device, and means for detachablyjoining said device to the power unit, said operator formingsubstantially the whole load for the motor.

2. A power unit, and a floor treating device, said device having anoperator that must be mechanically driven to enable it to perform itsfunction, said device also having an open flange at one end, said powerunit including a motor and a support for' the motor, said support havingan end surface arranged to form with the open flangty'a compartment thatseparates thepower unit from the device, and a connection located insaid compartment between the motor and the device, said operator formingsubstantially the whole load for the motor.

3. The combination of a power unit com prising a motor and a motorcasing having a projecting flange, a floor treating tool comprisingsubstantially the entire load for the motor and having a frame providedwith a flange detachably connected with said first flange, a shaftoperatively connected with said tool and quickly detachably connectedwith the motor.

l. A floor treating mechanism comprising a power unit, a detachablefioor treating device, said device having an operator that must bemechanically driven to enable it to perform its function, said powerunit including a portion of a detachable connection and the operatorhaving a cooperating portion for causing a driving connection to be madeto transfer motive power from the said unit to the said device, saidoperator forming substantially the whole load of the power unit, andmeans for operating the operator atemust be mechanically driven toenable it to perform its function, said power unit including a rotatablemotor and one portion of a detachable connection, the operator having acooperating portion for causing a driving connection to be made totransmit motive power from said motor to said operator, said operatorforming substantially the whole load for the motor, and means fortransmitting and transforming the rotation of the said motor into adififerent rate of rotation of the said operator.

7. A floor treating mechanism comprising a power unit and a detachablefloor treating device, said device having an operator that must bemechanically driven to enable it to perform its function, said powerunit including a rotatable motor and one portion of a detachableconnection, the operator having a cooperating portion for causing adriving connection to be made to transmit motive power from said unit tosaid device, said operator forming substantially the whole load for themotor, and means for transmitting and transforming the rotation of thesaid motor into a difi'erent rate of rotation of the said operator, saidlast named means constituting a part of said device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT E. MOORHEAD.

speed other than the speed of the said power unit.

5. A floor treating mechanism comprising a power unit and a detachablefloor treating device, said device having an operator that must bemechanically driven to enable it to erform its function, said power unitincluding a portion of a detachable connection and the operator having acooperating portion for causing a driving connection to be made totransfer motive power from the said unit to the said device, saidoperator forming substantially the whole load of the power unit, andsaid detachable device having means for operating the operator at aspeed other than I the speed of the said power unit.

6. A floor treating mechanism comprising a power unit and a detachablefloor treating device, said device having an operator that

